Skulking Back

[Shayla]

Winter was losing it's harsh grip on the lands of Transylvania, and the first signs of spring were beginning to show. Shoots of green grass had worked their way up from beneath the thawing snow, and the rivers and streams were full and bursting with the freezing water from the melting lands.

The Ge-Rad packlands were ever so slowly beginning to bloom, the sun had risen, and the dawn was a beautiful one. Bringing rays of golden sunshines through the white-ladened branches of the naked trees, and adding a golden colour to the thin sheet of snow along the ground.

With the return of Spring, came the return of a once, maybe familiar, face. A grey sleek figure stalked through the trees, steely grey eyes, hardened with travelling scanned her surroundings, a fleck of amber in the faemme's right orb seemed to glint as she recognised the boundries of her old pack. Her parent's pack.

Winter had been a bad time to decide to wander off again, and Shayla was returning home in somewhat of a state. She was thin and lean, and although before she had returned she had tried to get her grey pelt into a little bit of order, it was nothing like it should have been.

Why she had gone off yet again, she had no idea, she merely just got bored, yet again, with the packlands and the lands surrounding it, and, especially - with the vargs who occupied them. Needing a breath of fresh air, she had yet again, found herself in lands unknown, and the exploration of these was something she had needed desperately.

But, hungry and starved for comapny and familiar faces, she had returned home, having had her fill of adventure, she was now just looking forward the the reunions. She leapt across the border and walking, slowly now, head hung slightly low she flicked her bushy tail and let out a long piercing howl. Shayla was back where she belonged, and soon, to be with the vargs she belonged with too.


((ooc - ok, so Shay doesnt know Cwen is dead yet, and when she does im planning on her running off in a little tantrum/thing.. so don't tell her until the end, sort of thing? thanks.))

[Draeg]

With the arrival of spring so close at hand Ge-Rad had undergone a spectacular transformation as the luscious vegetation that had once congregated throughout the vast rolling meadow gradually returned. Soon the barren scene would nothing more then a memory and the once desolate wasteland would become a lush verdant paradise thick with life. Already the lera had begun to awaken from their seasonal slumber and emerge from their winter dens, feasting on what little vegetation had already begun to surface beneath the spring thaw. Golden rays of sun warmed the land, illuminating the world with the radiance of god Fenris and shining brilliantly through the frost burned branches of the forest.

The air was filled with the symphony of countless lera as everywhere cardinals and jays voiced their illation for the coming of spring, all in all a joyous sound to be had within the forest of Ge-Rad. Amber fur glistening in the midday sun a lone figure sought its way along the boarder, fierce amber eyes peering through the brush as he surveyed the surrounding area on the lookout for any who would dare trespass on his land. Winter had not been kind to Draeg, like the rest of the world he had suffered and loss. He had felt hunger and famine gnaw at his belly as well as the harsh chill that was oh so common during the end of the year, worst of all he had felt the pain of loss at watching his beloved mate and drappa killed mercilessly before his very eyes.

And at the jaws of a god no less.

Cwen had been cruelly taken from him and the gods had left him with nothing but his life and a single pup from his mate’s final litter as compensation, needless to say the amber dragga had been proverbially screwed by the powers that be. Turning his back on the gods he had taken the pup and, choosing a name he and Cwen had discussed using, named it Sorcha, determined to raise her as best he could and honor his mate’s memory he had dedicate nearly every waking moment to protecting her. Alas the life of a Dragga was full of responsibility and Draeg often found himself leaving Sorcha in the care of the packs new beta female, Uskiya, while he attended to other duties, relying on her experience as pack nurse to watch over the mewling infant while he was away. Such was the case now.

A piercing howl split through the noonday sky, silencing the chorus of songs that had filled the air only moments before and sending several birds flying off into the distance. Ears perking in recognition Draeg lifted his head, throwing his head back after a moment and letting out an ear splitting howl in response to the first. Concluding his reply he made for the border, moving as quick as he could though it was obvious that he traveling slower then usual. Whether it was a result of his battle with the demon god or simply a sign that he was getting old Draeg didn’t care, lithe paws carried him silently through the briar, carrying him through brambles and bringing him closer toward the invisible scent marker that marked the unseen boundary line of Ge-Rad.

When he finally saw her the amber wolf had to choke back a whimper for the gods had indeed been cruel to toy with his emotions in such a way. She looked as radiant as ever, her silver fur gleaming flawlessly in Fenris golden light. Coy grin etched onto her flawless muzzle, pearly white fur unmarred by the taint of blood. Harden gray orbs stare back at him from within her complete visage. It was almost as if the amber varg had dreamed the entire night. Draeg’s heart soared as for one brief moment he truly believed his mate had been returned to him.

However his newfound hopes and dreams were quickly dashed as he realized that her tail and eyes were all wrong and that she was far to young to be Cwen, the realization that he would never see his beloved Tora again was almost too much him to bear and Draeg found that he to struggle to keep from breaking down. No she wasn’t Cwen, and no matter how much he wished she were she never would be. She had grown since he had last seen her, nearly a mirror image of her mother save for the fleck of gold in her right eye and his bushy tail. Even so Draeg knew that he would never be able to look at her the same way again without seeing his beloved Drappa.

She was thinner than he remember, her silver pelt seeming ruffled and disorganized from lack of grooming though it was apparent that she had attempted to groom it before calling out to him. Not that he was one to talk, the amber varg had given up grooming himself shortly after losing Cwen and he carried numerous scars from his battle with the Searches. Swallowing his pain he approached her, a sad smile tracing his muzzle as he gently licked her forehead and tenderly brushed her muzzle with his own. “Welcome home Shayla.”

[Shayla]

It didn't take long for a reply to her own howl to echo out, vibrating through the morning air. Shay's ears perked and a broad grin worked it's way across her maw. She recognised that howl, and she was glad that it was one of her parents that had been the closest varg. Tail perked her grey eyes scanned the area for a splodge of amber.

And it wasn't long before she got her wish and the amber Dragga ran into sight. Her grin broadened and tail wagging she leapt towards him and licked his muzzle, whining an excited greeting. Nudging him and shifting her weight too much like she might have done when she was younger and very excited nad happy. But evidently Draeg did not share her excitement, it took a moment for Shayla to realise his smile was a bit too forced, and not as happy as it had once been.

Frowning, Shay took a step back. Now that she thought about it, he had changed a lot since she had been gone, new scars, and his amber pelt definately needed a good grooming, even worse than her own. Maybe it had been a rough winter here, but that didn't explain him seeming so dejected. Maybe this time she had just been gone for too long, maybe sometimes it's just too hard to come back, perhaps he thought that she might just stay for a fleeting while like she had done last time? Shayla snorted. No, this time she was here to stay. She was sick to the back-teeth of travelling.

Whining, Shayla nuzzled his neck with her nose yet again. "Hello Dad, I'm glad to be back." She smiled, bushy tail wagging yet again. "Sorry to come back in a little bit of a state, but, im comparison to you I look just fine I guess. Hasn't anyone sorted you out yet old man?" She laughed. "Has it been a tough winter here?" She inquired, cocking her head to the side. She only hpd that his answer was yes, and that it wasn't anything she had done, she had always loved her family, and she could be a difficult varg at times, but she hoped that she wasn't too difficult to cope with, because her family meant everything to her - not that she would ever tell them that. Some things don't need to be spoken, she thought.


(thanks ^^
and yeah, this is one large pile of pigswill, but thats what i get for rushing it. damn college!)

[Draeg]

A soft chuckle escaping his lips Draeg whined pleasurably as Shayla jumped to meet him, tattered tassel swaying gently behind him as she brushed against him and licked his chin excitedly. He was surprised to find that he had to struggle to keep his footing, shifting his paws beneath him to avoid being knocked down by his daughters physical display of affection. It was obvious to Draeg that while Shayla appeared to be fully grown she still the same sweet little pup she had always been. Muzzle slipping around her shoulder he pulled the silver femme into a warm embrace, holding her tightly against him before allowing her to withdraw from his grasp. “We’ve missed you.” he smiled back, softly licking her face. Seeing that she was worried Draeg gave her an affectionate nudge, pulling her close once again and unconsciously straightening the fur between her ears. “I’m fine Shayla, just been a little run down since Yelae and your mother gave birth.” It was a half truth, one that Draeg was sure would satisfy his daughter until he could think of how he was going to tell her about Cwen. Wanting to forestall the unpleasantries for as long as possible he cast Shayla an appraising glance, a teasing smile tugging at the corners of his maw. “There’s my excuse, what about you? Look at you, you’re a mess. I thought I taught you to better care of yourself then this?”

[Shayla]

Shayla allowed herself a little laugh at her father's embrace and nudged him scoldingly. "Watch it Dad, you'll squeeze all the air out of me if you aren't careful." but, tail wagging all the same, she didn't mind it, at least it proved that she had been missed, and it just increased her joy of being back home.

"I missed you too" she said, her grey eyes scanning the surroundings, no other vargs were in sight, which was sort of unusual.

Shay's head tilted to the side. did he mean the pup that had been born all those many moons ago? surely her mother had not had yet another pup? "Mum didn't have another litter did she? Geez, you two need to learn to keep off of one another!" Shayla snorted. Her interests perked, Shayla could only hope that this new litter had not brought them a daughter. She loved being the only daughter of her parents, a very selfish reason, but Shayla was prone to bouts of selfishness.

she laughed, seeing the smile that was threatening to break out on her father's face. "Pfft, come on, you can do better than that old man. Where's the happy idiot I left behind?" she teased, taking another chance to nudge his neck.

With the comment about her appearance, Shayla cast a guilty glance down, it was true, she did look a mess, but she shrugged it off. "Well... taking time out to groom was the last thing on my mind. The past couple of moons I was concentrating on finding my way back in one piece."

Shayla frowned, looking about again. "Mum's being pretty slow on the uptake here. Is she in the packlands, or has she just forgotten the sound of my howl?" Shayla grinned, she was glad to see her father again, but she had also missed her mother too. Then there was this irritational fear she had. What if Cwen had had another daughter who had taken Shay's place in her heart? Whilst she had been off gallavanting she had been replaced by some newer version? Shayla gulped, praying that this was not the case.


(ooc - yeah, being hasty now. =P)

[Draeg]

Chuckling alongside her Draeg allow himself one last fleeting moment with his daughter, a soft whine teasing his throat as he let her slip away from his tender grasp. Draeg wished that he didn’t have to let her go, he had lost so much in the past moons that he wanted nothing more then to hold Shayla close to him and never let go. She had always been the most inquisitive of his children even as a pup, always asking questions and going on adventures with her brothers. Even now while she greeted him she kept her eyes trained on the surrounding area, on the lookout for any other family and friends that might be heading toward them. How long would it take for her to figure what had happened, much time would pass before Shayla realize that her mother wasn’t coming, how long could he stave off the inevitable before she asked the one question he knew would arise?

Draeg couldn’t help letting out a bitter laugh upon hearing his daughters blatant statement, her words striking a chord within him as the irony behind her words hitting him hard and leaving the amber varg with an acidic feeling eating away at his chest. Once Draeg might have felt embarrassed by his daughters choice of words, however now it only reminded him of yet another thing he’d lost along with his mate. Wolfbane hadn’t just taken Cwen from him, he had taken their future together as well.
His composure wavered and again Draeg found himself cursing the gods for allowing what had happened to pass unhindered. “That was your moms doing not mine. It was what she wanted.” he growled listlessly, a sad smile forming along his muzzle as he retold. “She followed me out Ge-Rad to the old den in the woods where you were born and caught me singing, she blackmailed me, threatened she’d tell everyone what she’d seen if I couldn’t find a way to coax her out of it.” His eyes stung and he brought a paw to his face, trying to be strong for his daughter but feeling crushed by the weight what he was about to say. “Your mother isn‘t coming Shayla.”

[Shayla]

Shayla let out a low whine, her words had not got the response she would have expected, instead her father's features took on a hard demeanour, she took a step back, unsure at his growling and harsh appearance. With his rugged and unkempt pelt and the alien look that was in his eyes, Shayla was wondering where the father she had left behind had gone. Who was this varg that stood before her?

Shayla listened to this with a puzzled confusion. Then came words that she just didn't understand. Cwen wasn't coming? How could this be? What was keeping her? She had had another litter, and then what?

'I... I don't understand what you mean Dad? Why isn't she coming? What has happened since I've been gone? What has happened to you?' Shay whined, taking another step forward to gain the groudn she had lost and licked Draeg's muzzle. Something was troubling him, any idiot could tell, and it hurt Shayla that she didn't know just what yet, surely it was something fixable. Shay forced a smile, and tilted her head to the side. 'What's the matter Dad?' she whined. Maybe her parents had had a fight, and Cwen wasn't here because she was angry with Draeg? Shay didn't know, not yet anyway. But she already felt a deep pit of worry boiling in her gut. Maybe she should'nt have left...

[Draeg]

Upon hearing his words Shayla regarded him with a puzzled expression, unsure of what to make of her father’s cryptic statement. Fear began to set into her achroite eyes as slowly, gradually, she began to realize that something was amiss. Draeg had to look away, a pained whine escaping his maw. The lump that had been forming in his throat grew bigger with every question that she asked until his eyes burn with moisture, pained whine transforming into an anguished whimper as he gave out a strangled sob. He couldn’t take it, it was just too much for him to bear. But what was he supposed to tell her? She didn’t understand, how could she? How was he supposed to explain to her that her mother, whom Shayla loved and admired more than anyone else in the world, was dead. That she had been killed simply for choosing to give her heart to him over another and that when it had really counted he hadn’t been able to protect her.
No matter what Draeg told her it was going to hurt Shayla, and that was the last thing he’d ever wanted to do. Amber orbs livid with pain he look back at his daughter. He started to speak several times only to find that he couldn’t, the lump in his throat tightening around his vocal chords and constricting his speech until finally he managed the words. “She isn’t coming because she can’t.” he choked, his chest tightening around his lungs. “She’s dead Shayla. She died a while back.”

[Shayla]

Shayla frowned, Draeg was having trouble getting his words out. Clearly he wanted to phrase whatever he had to say very carefully, but truthfully Shayla just wanted him to get on with it. She didn't view herself as a little pup anymore, she could handle the blunt truth. Whatever that was.

But then he said it, and Shayla wished he hadn't. Shell-shocked, she just stared at him in utter and complete confusion. Her mother? Dead? No, it couldn't be, she can't have.

Shayla took a step back, away from Draeg. "No... no I don't believe it! You're lying!" She barked. "Mother isn't dead, she can't be dead, sh-she can't!!" She shook her head vigourously, growling. Cwen wasn't dead. it was impossible. Her mother was the strongest, proudest, best fighter than Shayla knew of, and imagining her dead was something that Shayla couldn't do, she couldnt bring herself to.

Grey eyes stark with pain, Shayla just gave her father one last bitter look, and did the one thing she knew best. She ran. Turning her tail and running away, as fast as her grey legs could carry her, not giving heed to the vegetation she tore through that ripped out tufts of her fur, or noticing the thorn that was rude enough to lodge itself in her paw. All she knew was that her mother was gone, and the she couldn't stay to try and deal with it. She needed to get out. The running wasn't helping either, she still saw the pained face of her father, replaying his words. "She's dead Shayla."


(i know, it's rubbish. so rubbish i could cry. but i needed to get it out of the way so another plot that has just been sprung on me could start.)

[Draeg]

The moment he those three dreaded words left his maw Draeg immediately regretted ever speaking. The gravity of what the amber dragga’s hit her hard, like a heavy weight abruptly dropped on to her shoulders. Shayla’s reaction was almost immediate, her eyes widening in disbelief as she suddenly staggered back. Seeing her like this Draeg couldn’t help giving a strangled whine, why had things had to turn out this way?

Unable to cope with the new knowledge she had been given the accusations came, her words cutting him like knife. She called him a liar, her head shaking back and forth in denial as she let loose an agonizing growl.

“I wish I were Shayla, more then anything else in the world.” he croaked, voice cracked and raw. “I’m sorry Shayla, I couldn’t protect her.” Stepping forward he attempted to regain some of the ground he’d lost, hoping that by getting close enough he would be able to sooth his daughters pain. Yet for each step he took Shayla only retreated further back, preventing him from advancing any closer.

Eyes bright with pain she cast him a bitter look, as though blaming him for her mothers demise, before abruptly tearing off into the bracken. “Shayla wait!” Giving chase Draeg followed her into the thicket, ignoring the entangled mesh of brambles that snagged his thinning pelt and scratched his face. Unable to keep up he lost her somewhere in the dense undergrowth, her scattered scent the only thing remaining of her mad dash through the brush. Coming to halt Draeg stopped, a look of anguish present in his amber eyes. The image of Shayla’s accusing stare had been burned into his mind as he replayed their final moments together over and over again. She had never looked at him that way before, not even after finding out about his polygamistic relationship with Firefly. It was obvious that she blamed him for what had happened and that hurt Draeg more than any physical wound ever could. Body trembling with grief he threw his head back and let out a bellowing howl, crying out the heavens in anger. “How much more do I have to lose until you’re satisfied?” He had already lost Cwen and Huts to powers beyond his control, and now it seemed the amber dragga had lost his daughter as well.

((was fine, don't worry about it. well i think its pointless saying this is my last post. Thread Closed))